Michelle King Makes PaliHi Proud

INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Vol. 2, No. 6 • January 20, 2016 Uniting the Community with News, Features and Commentary Circulation: 15,000 • $1.00
Beautiful Pacific Palisades
This stunning sunset was captured recently by staff photographer Wendy Anderson near Temescal Canyon Road and Pacific
Coast Highway. Sometimes there are no words to describe the beauty of Pacific Palisades.
Photo: Wendy Price Anderson
DISASTER
READINESS
GUIDE
DRB Challenges
Caruso’s Plans,
Architecture
By SUE PASCOE
Editor
The Pacific Palisades Design Review
Board (DRB) met on January 13 in
Mercer Hall at Palisades High to be -
gin its mandated examination of Caruso Affiliated’s
design plans for Palisades Village.
DRB members, as well as residents who
spoke during the public comment period,
expressed disappointment with the architectural
look of Caruso’s proposed development,
and his team of architects must now
literally “go back to the drawing board”
prior to a second DRB meeting.
Three members of the L.A. City Planning
Department—Lakisha Hull, Michelle
Levy and Harden Carter—explained that
Caruso Affiliated’s appearance before the
DRB was the first in a multi-step public
hearing process that all projects requesting
(Continued on Page 8)
Michelle King Makes PaliHi Proud
Michelle Brewster’s Palisades High senior
yearbook photo
Presorted Standard
U.S. Postage
PAID
Pasadena, CA
Permit #422
By LAUREL BUSBY
Staff Writer
APaliHi grad is taking over Los Angeles
Unified School District.
LAUSD, the nation’s second largest
school district with approximately 650,000
students, has hired 1979 Pali grad Michelle
King as its new superintendent.
As she enters her new position, she
brings to it fond memories of her Palisades
High School days. “Pali was an amazing
community,” King said. “It was very diverse.
I was bused as were my children.” Her three
daughters also graduated from PaliHi. “I
remember being in a community of people
from all backgrounds. There were a lot of
clubs and school spirit.”
While at Pali, King’s name was Michelle
Postal Customer
**************ECRWSSEDDM*************
Brewster, and she participated on the drill
team in 10th grade and was a cheerleader in
11th grade. “When it was football night and
you marched through the tunnel, you could
hear the drums. It was really loud, and then
you were out on the field.” The homecoming
after she graduated, she returned to the
school as was the tradition. “I had my cheer
outfit on, and I cheered at homecoming.”
Fellow PaliHi alum Lecia Taylor-Womack
reminisced about King in an email: “We
were varsity cheerleaders together. Her
teeth shined straight through her braces,
after which the most inviting, friendliest
smile beamed through. I’m so happy for
her. I remember she always walked embracing
all her textbooks as if they were part of
her wardrobe.” King’s success has inspired
Taylor-Womack to step forward to live her
own dreams. “I’m so proud of her. Her
beautiful personality, wits and education
have paid off.”
On an alumni Facebook page, some of
her classmates remember King as a strong
math and science student, according to current
PaliHi teacher Holly Korbonski, who
also graduated in 1979. King went on to earn
a bachelor’s degree in biology from UCLA.
The superintendent, who will garner
$350,000 base pay in her new position,
started out her educational path attending
Century Park Elementary School in Ingle-
Michelle King
wood and Windsor Hills Elementary
School, which is just east of Culver City. She
continued to Palms Junior High School before
entering Palisades High.
After graduating from Pali and UCLA,
King earned a master’s of science in administration
from Pepperdine University.
She is currently working on a doctorate in
education at USC.
King’s 38-year career within LAUSD has
included time working as a teaching assistant,
a science and math teacher in Granada
(Continued on Page 23)

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January 20, 2016 Palisades News Page 3
Marquez Celebrates New Principal
By SUE PASCOE
Editor
He’s back! Ben Meritt, the new
principal at Marquez Elementary
Charter School, was introduced to
students and parents at a school-wide
morning assembly on Monday, January 11.
The unveiling of the new schoolyard
courtyard—the main quad—also took
place at the assembly as school resumed
after a three-week break.
Meritt, who was born in the Philippines
and moved to Central California when he
was six, served as a fourth-grade teacher at
Marquez from 1998-2002 and later worked
at Paul Revere Middle School.
“I’m excited to be back,” Meritt told the
News. “It’s wonderful. Some of the same
teachers I taught with are here. I know some
of the teachers’ assistants. I know some of
the parents, who even though their children
are no longer at the school, still volunteer.”
At a teacher’s meeting held prior to the
assembly, teachers were upbeat about coming
back to the campus and greeting their
new leader.
Fourth-grade teacher Theresa Chaides
Ben Meritt is the new Marquez principal. Photo: Shelby Pascoe
said, “When I heard who our new principal
was, I couldn’t wait to get back to school.”
She said that when she first came to the
school, she shared a classroom with Meritt,
and credited him with helping her through
her first year.
“We’re very excited,” said fifth-grade
Principal Meritt is all smiles as Jacob Posner (left) and Jack Bentley (center) try to get
students’ attention in order to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
Photo: Shelby Pascoe
Name Caruso’s Development
During a meeting on December 17,
the News asked developer Rick
Caruso what his new development
on Swarthmore and Sunset will be called.
The working title is Palisades Villages, but
Caruso said he is open to other suggestions.
“I’ve always just thought of it as The Pal i -
sades,” said Caruso, who lives in Brentwood
and whose signature development is The
Grove. Should Palisades Village have an oth -
er name? What would be your suggestion?
Responses thus far have fallen into three
categories. The first is that if Caruso is to be
taken at his word that this is “not a mall,”
then there should be no name for the
Swarthmore project. “Giving it a name like
‘Palisades Villages’ reeks of development
and, well . . . mall.
The second viewpoint expressed was call
it the Village. One person explained, “That’s
what everyone calls it. Keep it simple, we
don’t need more branding by Caruso.”
A third suggestion was to give the development
a name. Maybe call it a two-word
title similar to “The Grove,” such as “The
Realm” or “The Tide.”
Another reader suggested Paseo de Pali -
sades (Spanish similar to Via de la Paz) or
Palisades Plaza because “both names connote
a relaxed, community vibe.”
A young student examines the Marquez logo in the center of the newly
opened courtyard.
Photo: Shelby Pascoe
teacher Eliza Smith, who helps Marquez
students transition to Revere. “I knew Ben
at Revere.”
After teaching at Marquez, Meritt went
to Paul Revere and taught sixth grade for a
semester before he was promoted to be the
dean of student services. He worked there
for two years before he was displaced for
lack of seniority.
He was highly respected at Revere. Sixthgrade
teacher Melvin Agcaoli told Smith
when he heard the news about Meritt coming
to Marquez, “He will be wonderful. He’s
so calm and competent.”
Smith and Chaides agreed. “He comes
from the classroom. He understands teachers
and the problems they face.”
After graduating from high school in
Lemoore, Meritt attended UCLA and
earned a degree in psychology in 1988. He
then received his teaching and administrative
credentials from Cal State Northridge.
Following Revere, he taught fifth grade
at Alta Loma for a year before the school
population dropped, leaving him to scramble
for another position, which he found at
Sun Valley High School: assistant principal
for two years.
Once again displaced, Meritt worked at
Vista Middle School and at Millikan Middle
School before applying for the top position
at Marquez.
With his initial meeting with the teachers
before school on January 11, Meritt said:
“My goal is to be in the classroom to support
you in any way I can.” He explained
what would happen at the upcoming assembly,
which included the singing of the
Marquez school song. “I’m not sure I’ll have
all the words,” he said. “I haven’t sung it in
thirteen-and-a-half years.”
Meritt is replacing Dr. Albert Hananel,
who came to the school in 2014. Hananel
was removed in November because of his
lack of response to a September sexual misconduct
incident in a bathroom between
two young students.
A letter from superintendent for LAUSD
Local District West Cheryl Hildreth stated,
“I was compelled to remove Dr. Hananel
as the principal at Marquez Elementary
School. A full investigation of the incident
began immediately. Please know that due to
confidentiality and privacy laws, and out of
respect to the families of the young students
involved, I am not able to share specifics of
the incident with the school community.”
The new principal was asked if he knew
about the incident. He said he did, but
added, “I’ll assess the situation now. I’ll start
fresh. I’ll stay positive.”
And as the student body sang its school
song, “Give a Cheer for Marquez,” Meritt
was the first to say “Rah.”
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Page 4 Palisades News January 20, 2016
Elfant Stresses Disaster Preparedness
By LAUREL BUSBY
Staff Writer
Flo Elfant, who has headed disaster preparedness in Pacific Palisades since 1988, is
stepping down this year.
Photo: Bart Bartholomew
Flo Elfant got a stark warning of how
a natural disaster could cut off Pacific
Palisades during the Bel-Air fire
of 1961.
“I saw this community isolated,” Elfant,
83, said. “It was bumper to bumper on Sunset.
Nobody could go down Chautauqua or
PCH. Nobody could leave unless they had
a helicopter.”
For two days, Elfant remembers the com -
munity being “stuck,” and the experience
helped inform her eventual work as the
Community Council’s disaster preparedness
chairperson. In a future disaster, “I can’t convey
enough the feeling of isolation families
will have. Members will not be able to be with
each other for many, many hours or maybe
days,” said Elfant, noting that parents who
work downtown or students at local colleges
would be unable to get home. Electricity and
phone service would likely be inoperative.
Some of her suggestions to help address
these problems are relatively simple. For
example, each family member should have
the phone number of an out-of-state contact
person handy, because often in disasters,
long-distance calls can go through,
while local calls are disrupted, Elfant said.
If local people can connect to a distant relative
or friend, that person can be the contact
who can relay information about the
people caught in the disaster.
Other recommendations require a little
more planning. For example, credit cards
will not work without electricity, and banks
won’t be able to access accounts, so “cash
will be king,” she said. Keeping some cash
in both the car and the home is wise. Copies
of important documents should be in a
grab-and-go case, while items from sleeping
bags to water supplies should be at the
ready. (See enclosed insert for more recommendations.)
Elfant’s journey to becoming a disaster
expert heightened in 1988 when she and
Kit Festa attended a conference on the
Queen Mary at Chamber of Commerce
President Arnie Wishnick’s request. She
returned enthusiastic about bringing the
ideas to the community.
“It was an incredible weekend with experts
from across the world,” Elfant said.
“We came back, and we devised a preparedness
plan together with the Red Cross.”
Their work earned them Citizen of the
Year honors in 1989, and ever since, Elfant
has spent time updating the plan and presenting
it to various groups across town.
This issue of the Palisades News achieves
one of Elfant’s long-term goals with a version
of the plan being sent to every home
in the Palisades. “I’m really thrilled with
that. It’s a dream come true,” She said.
She also is simultaneously retiring from
her disaster preparedness position. “I’m
really looking for someone to take it over—
a new person with more energy. I think
it’s important for this to happen.”
Elfant has spent much of her adult life devoting
her energy to the community. She
and her husband, Allan, a podiatrist, moved
to the area from Brooklyn in 1958. In New
(Continued on Page 4)
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January 20, 2016 Palisades News Page 5
Elfant
(Continued from Page 5)
York, she had worked as a bookkeeper both
in Manhattan and in the Catskill Mountains.
In the Palisades, Elfant continued bookkeeping
work while her husband opened a
podiatry office on Via de la Paz. She also dedicated
time to the local schools and eventually
became PTA president at Marquez
Elementary, Paul Revere Middle School and
Palisades High, where their three children,
Debbie, Noel and Jeanne, attended school.
Well-known for her volunteer work,
Elfant was enlisted to join the first Palisades
Community Council and was its tenth
chairperson. She relished these endeavors.
“I like overseeing how everything is done,”
said Elfant, who was a real estate agent and
then managed the local Prudential office
for almost five years. “I’m always fascinated
to see the workings of everything.”
Elfant is also a breast-cancer survivor,
who finished her last treatment in 2007. She
has seven grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren,
whom she treasures. Their
pictures as well as pictures of her children
and Allan, who died in 1992, adorn her
condominium, as do plaques commemorating
her community work.
Looking back on her life, she is filled
with fond memories. “It’s been a great life,
and I’ve loved every minute of it, I must
say,” Elfant said. “I’ve enjoyed my journey
tremendously.”
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Paintings Stolen from Library
Rose Carcich, who had 52 paintings
on exhibit in the Palisades Library
Community Room in December,
was distressed to find that eight of her
paintings had disappeared.
“When I went to the library on December
23 around 2:30 p.m., I discovered empty
chains with eight missing paintings,” Carcich
said. “They were taken off the chains
and labels were all over the counter.”
She informed librarian Mary Hopf, and
the two counted 44 remaining paintings.
“A person took the smaller paintings, four
or five of which were framed,” Carcich said.
“The smaller ones would fit into whatever
he/she carried them out in. They were original
art work, five were acrylic and three
watercolor paintings.”
Carcich filed a police report that was reported
in the January 4 crime report:
“THEFT—800 Alma Real, between
12/17/15 at 2 p.m. and 12/23/15 at 2 p.m.
The suspect took unattended paintings
from an art exhibit.”
The artist was asked about the value of
the paintings. “I invested many hours and
weeks of time and energy to finish and prepare
for the show,” Carcich said. “It is a labor
of love and those paintings had sentimental
value for me. Needless to say, this has upset
me immensely.”
She said she had not yet heard from the
police nor the library about any leads. “I
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have checked eBay for my paintings, but to
no avail. There has been no compensation
for my loss.”
LAPD Senior Lead Officer Michael
Moore was contacted about the possibility
of finding the paintings. “It really depends
on what kinds of leads the detectives get,”
said Moore, who didn’t think there was
much to go on. “There is no video footage
and I don’t think there were any witnesses.”
Pacific Palisades Art Association President
Annette Alexakis wrote members: “I regret
to inform you that Rose Carcich had eight
paintings stolen from her show at the library
community room. We are currently in negotiations
with the library to revamp security.
In the meantime, I cannot recommend
having art shows and receptions at the library
until security efforts are increased.
“Rose would greatly appreciate any information
in helping her recover the stolen
art. If anyone has any photos from the reception
or exhibit of the paintings please
contract Rose or myself. If you visited the
library show and noticed that the paintings
were missing off the chains and know the
date you visited, please let us know.”
If you have any information, call
Moore at (310) 444-0737 or email
27995@lapd.lacity.org.
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Page 6 Palisades News January 20, 2016
Heard
About Town
Trim the Branches, Please
I recently saw a driver slam on his
brakes to avoid hitting a eucalyptus tree
branch that dropped on Sunset Boulevard
just east of Chautauqua. Now every
time I drive there, I look up at those tree
branches, some of which hang all the way
over Sunset. I wonder when the City will
trim them, or will they wait until a
branch falls and causes an accident?
Lucky Oscar Year?
Palisades resident and PaliHi grad
Thomas Newman has been nominated
for his FOURTEENTH Oscar for best
musical score (Bridge of Spies). I hope he
can finally win the award after producing
so many impressive film scores—Finding
Nemo, The Shawshank Redemption and
Skyfall among them.
Community Council Meeting
I attended the Pacific Palisades Community
Council meeting on January 14. It
struck me that various people on the board
spoke about their own personal preferences,
instead of representing their area. As
area representatives, shouldn’t they be
checking with their neighbors to see if they
feel the same way? If not, the neighbors’
points of view should also be represented.
Those Strange Red Signs
Maybe this has never been pointed out,
because most Palisadians seem unaware
of it, but those red octagon signs on top
of posts near almost every major intersection
read “STOP.” My understanding
is that a stop is required, not optional,
and the intent is to improve safety.
Black Sand on the Beach
I found black sand on the beach at Will
Rogers, so I bagged a little and brought
it home, then discovered that it has magnetic
properties. What could it be?
(Editor’s note: Through research, we
learned that the Santa Monica Mountains
were formed by volcanoes. The magma
cools to form basalt and once it cools it become
magnetic. The black sand is most
like ly basalt.)
———————
If you’d like to share something you’ve
“heard about town,” please email it to
spascoe@palisadesnews.com
Oops!
In the photo caption for Dr. Henry
Ansgar (Andy) Kelly, who will speak at
the Presbyterian “Food for Thought”
series on January 21, his middle name
was spelled incorrectly and the small
girl sitting in the photo with him was
misidentified as his granddaughter. Instead,
the girl is the daughter of Jennifer
Smith, one of Kelly’s students at UCLA,
who was awarded her doctorate that day.
ANN CLEAVES
VIEWPOINT
Big Blue Bus Bench Blues
By LAURIE ROSENTHAL
Staff Writer
Libby Motika’s recent feature on architect/
urban designer Doug Suisman and his
plans to revitalize Palisades High School
included his vision for those who take public
transportation.
“We also wanted to emphasize transit,”
Suis man said, “so we incorporated an enhanced
bus stop and waiting area into the design for
the kids who take the bus to school . . . Kids who
take public transit are environmental heroes.
They deserve a nice place to wait.”
The Big Blue Bus should take a page from
Suisman’s playbook, and think about their
customers.
I have always loved the BBB, with its funny
ads, unique shade of blue and the small-town
feel of the company. But I can’t help but wonder
if the people who actually designed 2014’s
new bus-stop seats, and the more recent ones,
have actually ever waited for a bus.
Though the new ADA-compliant stops
incorporate beautiful blues and have a sleek
design, as well as digital real-time schedules at
some stops, and there was a lot of public input,
they still seem to miss the mark somewhat.
Different people use the BBB—students,
domestic workers, restaurant workers, the elderly—and
many, if not all, probably would enjoy
having a place to sit while waiting for their bus.
Last year’s seats caused a huge uproar in the
community, and have since been replaced.
They featured two small, round seats attached
at one side, with a partial back, also attached.
The new seats certainly appear comfortable,
with full backs and drink holders, but
many stops have only one chair.
Recently, I was sitting in my car, waiting for
my son to get off the BBB that he takes home
from PaliHi. A woman was sitting in the only
chair at the bus stop, seemingly tired from her
day of work. Another woman, a bit older and
looking more tired than the first woman, came
walking towards the bus stop. When the first
woman saw the second woman approach, she
immediately got up so the second woman could
sit. What a sign of respect. The first woman
then proceeded to sit on the ground, leaning
against the bus stop pole. It bothered me that
they both couldn’t sit. And, a few minutes later,
a young man arrived at the bus stop, standing
the whole time until the bus came.
And the canopies, while pretty, cast shade
on only a very small area, and don’t look like
they will offer much protection should El
Niño truly come.
A few small bus stops still have the old-fashioned
aluminum benches, but BBB has made it
clear that benches will not be used any more.
There were complaints about vandalism and
loitering. The new designs prevent a homeless
person from stretching out and sleeping.
According to bigbluebus.com, “The new bus
stop structures utilize a modular system flexible
enough to adapt to various sized locations and
rider volumes . . . The design is the result of
extensive outreach to a great number of
stakeholders, including riders, City Council
officials, business owners with storefronts
behind bus stops, business improvement
districts, neighborhood associations and the
Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau.”
It seems like they spoke to everybody. And
maybe I’m wrong. But I still feel badly for the
people I see at the bus stops, tired and forced
to stand because somebody else got there first.
Thought to Ponder
“The truth is of course is
that there is no journey. We
are arriving and departing
all at the same time.”
― David Bowie
Founded November 5, 2014
———————
869 Via de la Paz, Ste. B
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
(310) 401-7690
www.PalisadesNews.com
———————
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Scott Wagenseller
swag@palisadesnews.com
Editor
Sue Pascoe
spascoe@palisadesnews.com
Features
Laurie Rosenthal
LRosenthal@palisadesnews.com
Graphics Director
Manfred Hofer
Digital Content and Technology
Kurt Park
Advertising
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Grace Hiney
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Advisor
Bill Bruns
Contributing Writers
Laura Abruscato, Laurel Busby,
Libby Motika
Contributing Photographers
Wendy Price Anderson,
Bart Bartholomew, Shelby Pascoe
———————
A bi-monthly newspaper mailed on the
first and third Wednesday of each month.
14,500 circulation includes zip code 90272
and Sullivan, Mandeville and Santa Mon -
ica Canyons.All content printed herein,
and in our digital editions, is copyrighted.
Online:
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Palisades News
January 20, 2016 A forum for open discussion of community issues
Page 7
EDITORIAL
Put Aside Politics and Put Kids First
Now’s the time for Republicans and Democrats in
Sacramento to put aside political differences and
work for the good of kids and their education.
More specifically, there are three education bills proposed
by Republicans that should be supported: 1.) Assembly Bill
1248, which would extend a teacher’s probationary period
to three years, and requires three positive reviews before
tenure; 2.) AB1044, which would repeal the LIFO (last in,
first out) law requiring teacher layoffs to be based on
seniority; and 3.) AB1078, which would update teacher
evaluations to allow the consideration of technology and the
ability to work with English learners (among other criteria).
Parents who have their children in public schools in
Pacific Palisades have had experience with some remarkable
teachers. One algebra teacher at Palisades High School
was exceptional: he taped every lecture and made it available
online, so that if a student missed a day of school,
or needed reinforcement, he or she could easily access it.
How can your teenager have this wonderful, innovative
and caring teacher? You can’t. There were layoffs at PaliHi
the next year, and since he was the last in, he was the
first out.
Marquez Elementary’s new principal Ben Meritt is
also an exceptional educator. Parents at Revere raved
about his calm demeanor and his willingness to work
to successful conclusions in difficult circumstances. But
after just three years at the school, there were cutbacks
and Meritt was also the victim of LIFO. Luckily for the
Palisades, he’s back, but why did he ever have to leave?
In any business, seniority is only one of many factors
considered in hiring and firing. Competence, enthusiasm
for learning, creativity and doing a new job well are
probably more important than how long someone has
been behind a desk.
Those of us who have been fired know there are no
guarantees in any job, so it would make sense that
teachers should not be treated differently than the rest of
the working force. If one is good, there are no worries;
if one is not so good, then it’s time to step up the game.
People wonder why principals can’t just fire ineffective
teachers. If the teacher has tenure, it’s nearly impossible.
One principal I know was frustrated with a teacher who
for years collected a paycheck while students ran amok
in the classroom. It took literally years of documentation,
classroom visits and letters from parents before the
teacher was finally moved out of a Palisades classroom.
That person wasn’t kicked out of the LAUSD, but simply
moved to another classroom in another area where the
parents were not so vocal.
Which brings us to AB 1248. Three years of positive
reviews is a start towards trying to ensure that there are
high-quality educators. But it doesn’t answer the question
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
of why elementary, middle school and high school
teachers should have tenure.
Michelle Rhee, superintendent of Washington, D.C.
schools from 2007-10, argued that tenure inadvertently
protected incompetent teachers from being fired. Though
it doesn’t guarantee lifetime employment, it makes firing
teachers difficult. In California, a tenured teacher can’t
be dismissed until charges are filed and months of
evaluations, hearings and appeals have occurred. The
system is deliberately slow to prevent the ousting of a
teacher for personal or political motives, which is the
reason tenure was first given to college professors.
At Palisades Elementary and Marquez Elementary, and
at PaliHi, there were times when the turnover of principals
happened every year. Teachers who came to the Palisades
during that time were not as likely to undergo the
necessary scrutiny before automatically receiving tenure.
Three years and three positive reviews is a good start.
We support good teachers, who will not be affected by
any of these proposed laws. Rather the laws are a step
in the right direction for teachers who are not effective
in the classroom.
If one goes to a restaurant and gets below-grade service
or food, one can choose not to tip or even not to go back.
Kids don’t have that choice, they are in that classroom
every day for the school year.
Brush Clearance Along
Temescal Canyon Explained
I sent the brush clearance for all of the City-owned
portions along Temescal Canyon Road out to contract in
2014. This included the area around the Park at PCH and
Temescal. (Brush clearance was queried in the January 6
story, “Temescal Canyon Sees Increasing Tents,” page 10.)
The contractors removed and thinned as much brush,
vegetation and trees as required by the regulations. Prior
to the brush clearance efforts, the homeless were camped
in that area and utilizing the brush and vegetation as
additional shelter. The clearance of the brush resulted in
the homeless moving out of that particular area at that time.
The areas along Temescal Canyon that are owned by
the City and belong to Parks and Recreation, were cited
for brush clearance in 2015. You indicated in your email
that the concerned property owner did see brush clearance
in the area being performed by City workers.
Please keep in mind that the regulatory requirements
only require brush clearance within 200 ft. of structures
and 10 ft. of roadways. In addition, some portions of
Temescal Canyon have extremely steep topography; this
has to be taken into consideration when performing
brush clearance.
Removal of too much brush and vegetation in those
steep areas could trigger an abundance of erosion during
the rainy season, thereby creating a cause for concern
in regards to the stability of the homes located around
the rim of the canyon.
I recently had 100 ft. of the entire rim of the canyon
along Via de las Olas cleared due to the fires we experienced
there at the tail end of 2015.
The homeless were camped in that area and this
clearance may have caused them to relocate to other
areas in the Palisades including the Temescal Canyon
area. I will assist where possible with any brush clearance
concerns.
For the homeless encampments, Chief Butler is the best
contact. He was actively working with LAPD and other
agencies in regards to these concerns in the Palisades area.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any additional
questions or areas of concern; I am happy to assist.
LAFD Inspector Kenneth Guardado
Keep the Language Simple
I’d like to suggest that Councilman Bonin use simple
English (Letters, January 6, “Addressing 405/Sunset
Traffic”). It’s been my experience that the simpler the
language the better the communication. When I read
his letter re: Sunset traffic and saw the word charrette I
burst out laughing. For heaven’s sake, Mikey, a charrette
is a meeting. That’s a word most folks will understand.
We all know you went to Harvard and bow down to
your brilliance, but really, a charrette? When addressing
the villageois, use words we’ll recognize.
Dave Kidd
Palisades News welcomes all letters, which may be emailed to letters@palisadesnews.com. Please include a name, address
and telephone number so we may reach you. Letters do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the Palisades News.
City Should Keep
Track of Its Money
Sue Pascoe’s fine article January 6 (“Park Picnic Tables:
$3,500 Each,” page 1) clearly demonstrates why many
people think city government is a complete joke, totally
incompetent and most of them [city employees] ought
to be fired.
Can you imagine working for a private company and
the CEO discovers there are serious (maybe criminal)
questions about an $185,000 expense. When he calls the
supervisor in charge, the CEO is told, “Oh, I forwarded
your request to two other people and I will get back to
you when I get more information.” That supervisor
would be fired by 5 p.m. This is not rocket science, it’s
a few picnic tables!!
Jacques Soiret
(Editor’s note: We have sent the story to Councilman
Mike Bonin’s office to see if they can assist in locating the
Prop. K money. We have also sent another plea to Recreation
and Parks for an explanation.)
Continue Printing the Facts
We appreciate your recent efforts transcribing/
publishing the contentious library meeting on December
17 (“Homeless Meeting: A Confrontation,” page 4,
January 6). Energetic journalists and ethical editors do
a great service to the entire community by printing the
facts. Keep up the good works!
Matthew Reiser

Page 8 Palisades News January 20, 2016
DRB/Caruso
(Continued from Page 1)
Zone Changes or Plan Amendments go
through in Los Angeles.
After the project application was submitted
to the City last July, an environmental
review was initiated. In this case, that review
is a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND),
which examines any potential environmental
impacts and includes technical reports.
A traffic study is part of that report.
The City emphasized that it is important
to know that all of the MND’s findings are
based on accepted published thresholds
under the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA).
The City will not take action on the project
until the MND is published next month.
That report will be available for public comment
for 20 days.
During the public hearing process for
the Palisades Village project, the DRB’s
role comes into play. The seven-member,
L.A. City-appointed board (chairman
Barbara Kohn, David Forbes Hibbert,
Kelly Comras, Paul Darrall, Sarah Griffin,
Stuart Muller and Donna Vaccarino) will
evaluate the overall design, signage and
building heights, based on the adopted
Pacific Palisades Commercial Village and
Neighborhoods Specific Plan before making
recommendations to the City.
The Specific Plan was adopted in 1985,
and amended in 1992 and 1993. (Visit:
Christmas Tree Recycling?
This tree fell in the 600 block of Haverford the beginning of January. A few
days later another large tree fell on Radcliffe.
Photo: Regan Colwell Eastman
ppdrb.org.) According to the City: “Wherever
this Specific Plan contains regulations
which conflict with regulations contained
in LAMC Chapter 1, the Specific Plan shall
prevail and supersede the applicable provisions
of that Code.”)
At last week’s DRB meeting, developer
Rick Caruso, who was in attendance with
his development team and architects, presented
the proposed plan.
The project includes demolition of the
existing buildings owned by Caruso along
Swarthmore and Sunset and construction
of nine new buildings with a total of
116,215 square feet on 3.11 acres.
“We understand clearly that Pacific Palisades
is a special place,” said Caruso, a
Brentwood resident. “I’ve taken special care
because this is a community like no other
and this is a plan like no other.”
Caruso’s other shopping developments
include The Grove, The Americana (Glendale),
The Promenade (Westlake), The Village
(Moorpark), Encino Marketplace, The
Lakes at Thousand Oaks and Waterside at
Marina Del Rey.
He told the DRB and nearly 100 audience
members that he intended to comply
with the Specific Plan setbacks, the height
restrictions and signage (except for the Bay
Theater marquee) and that he had updated
program uses.
His project proposes a mix of retail, rest -
aurants, offices, eight residential units (at the
current Mobil site), a specialty grocery, a
movie theater, a community room, pedestrian
paseos and a park space. A total of 470
off-street vehicle parking spaces will be provided
on two levels of subterranean parking.
After Caruso’s presentation, DRB member
Darrall said, “I’ve been to every one of
the malls that you’ve created, but I have a
concern about the proposed architecture
on this one, which has a lot in common
with a New England town.”
Caruso replied that the design came about
because at his first meeting with residents (a
packed house in Mercer Hall in December
2014), various slides of different architectural
styles were shown and East Coast features
seemed to garner the most support.
During the one-hour public comment
period, 13 of the 35 speakers addressed the
project’s architecture. The other comments
reflected sentiments expressed at four earlier
community meetings, and included
traffic and parking concerns, as well as rave
reviews from people who want the project
to proceed immediately.
Chamber of Commerce President Adam
Glazer applauded the architecture—“I
(Continued on Page 9)

January 20, 2016 Palisades News Page 9
DRB/Caruso
(Continued from Page 8)
think this design is absolutely fresh”—but
local architect Robert Michael John said he
wanted to see “something more appropriate
to Pacific Palisades—not East Coast
architecture,” and Rick Mills, who served as
DRB chairman for many years, said “There
is a disconnect between what this project
looks like compared to the rest of the commercial
Village.”
Resident Don Scott added, “To me, the
Starbucks building is the Palisades,” referring
to the historic Business Block building
at Sunset and Swarthmore. Other speakers
wanted to see a revival of mid-century
California modern, as currently seen on
Swarthmore and other streets in town.
When DRB members weighed in, landscape
architect Kelly Comras reflected Darrall’s
thinking, saying “I challenge Caruso
to take a second look at some of these [architectural]
elements,” and Stuart Muller
commented, “I don’t feel comfortable with
this design style; it seems a conglomeration
of East Coast designs.”
DRB member Vaccarino, a longtime architect,
summed up the board’s sentiments with
a long prepared statement. In part, she said:
“The Palisades has its own historic culture
and architectural vocabulary. Some of the
most important minds—writers, philosophers,
poets and musicians—of the 20th
century lived and worked in Pacific Pali -
sades. There are fundamental and unlimited
sources of inspiration right here to
create the most unique, memorable and
satisfying design imaginable.
“I truly believe that we do not want or
deserve a commercialized faux Hamptons
overlaid on the Palisades,” Vaccarino continued.
“We do not need to imitate another
culture to be successful. Our community
deserves something precisely unique for us.”
After the meeting Caruso was asked
about the DRB’s negative comments and if
he would be willing to work with the DRB.
“We’re happy to be part of the process
and follow the will of the community,”
Caruso told the News.
The next day, Levy was asked about the
role of the DRB for the City. “The role is advisory,
but staff weighs the recommendations
of the DRB heavily,” she said, noting
that they pay close attention to the compatibility
of the project with the rest of
the neighborhood.
After the proposed project goes through
the DRB, it will proceed through the planning
staff and director of planning, then to the
City Planning Commission, then the City’s
PLUM committee (Planning, Land Use and
Management) and finally, the City Council.
Caruso is hoping all the plans can be in
place to start construction this summer
and that the project can be completed by
November 2017.
For a digital copy of the plans, contact
Hull (lakisha.hull@lacity.org) or Levy:
michelle.levy@lacity.org.
Chamber Seeks Residents
For Weight-Loss Challenge
Ultimate Health owner Bill Shuttic and
the Chamber of Commerce are working
with the The Biggest Loser television show
to help Palisades residents start the new
year by losing weight.
“We’re teaming with the Biggest Loser
Corporate Challenge,” said Shuttic noting
that all residents are invited to participate.
“Technically it is supposed to be for each
company to set up a team of four people,
but since that isn’t possible for many we’re
setting up teams of four in Pacific Palisades.”
Shuttic said The Biggest Loser contacted
the Chamber “and asked if we wanted to
participate. We thought it would be a good
idea. As the health and wellness guy on the
Chamber board, I will be the point person.”
The cost of participating is $25. Of that
money, 80 percent goes to the “Biggest Los -
er” challenge and 20 percent goes to the Palisades
Chamber.
“By joining us, you’ll be getting in shape
and helping to support the Chamber,” Shut -
tic said. “It looks like a really cool program,
so I suggest you try it if you’re looking to
get healthy this year.”
The Biggest Loser Corporate Challenge
provides three months of risk-free access to
a private wellness account for each participant,
health and wellness programming, a
suite of interactive health tools and an eightweek
challenge led by head trainer Dolvett
Quince that includes past contestants as
guides and a live leaderboard along with tips.
Lutheran Preschool Expands Care Hours
The Preschool at PLC (Palisades Lu ther -
an Church) has expanded its hours beginning
this month. Parents can drop off
students at 7:30 a.m. and kids can stay as
late as 4:30 p.m. The changes were made
to help accommodate working parents.
First-semester fun included Peace Feast
Day on November 20, which not only celebrated
Thanksgiving, but also taught the
basics of good nutrition and how eating
properly helps build strong bodies.
Farm Animal Day gave children the opportunity
to learn about the characteristics
and habits of various farm animals and
how to tend to them properly. Snow Day
was held at the school on January 15.
For more information about the school,
call Pati, (310) 459-3425, email preschool
@plc.cc or visit thepreschoolatplc.com.
Celebrating 12 Years!
From my family to yours,
THANK YOU for your continued support.
Excellence in Real Estate
Ramis Sadrieh, MBA • Personal Technology Consultant
Chamber President 2009-2010 • PAPA President 2011, 2012
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Page 10 Palisades News January 20, 2016
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©2016 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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Palisades News
January 20, 2016 Page 11
Pfannkuche Wins Rotary Award
By SUE PASCOE
Editor
Long-time resident Carol Pfannkuche
has been named Business Person of
the Year by the Palisades Rotary Club.
Rotary member Tom Welch made the
announcement at the club’s weekly meeting
at Aldersgate on January 7.
“Carol was director of our local YMCA
for the past 10 years and was instrumental
in the Y receiving and beautifying Simon
Meadow,” Welch said. “She has been promoted
to director of the downtown YMCA
and we’re happy to present her this award.”
Pfannkuche will receive $500 to donate
to the charity of her choice and will be recognized
at a Rotary Club breakfast and at a
future Chamber of Commerce installation
breakfast, when the new honorary mayor
will take over the reins from Jake Steinfeld.
“I am surprised and so very humbled
with this special honor,” said Pfannkuche,
who until assuming her position downtown
in April was a member of the local
Rotary. “I regret having had to leave my
dear Rotary friends to begin my work
downtown because members are dedicated
to community service above self.
“Many of the service tenets of the YMCA
also exist in the mission of Rotary, and
both organizations are critical to the good
character of the Palisades community,” she
told the Palisades News.
Rob Lowe, a Y-board member during
By MICHAEL EDLEN
Special to the Palisades News
(This is the second in a series of articles in
answer to requests for more informational
help with “downsizing” issues for seniors. The
focus here is on key questions to ask before
beginning a process of “rightsizing.”)
Carol Pfannkuche, who worked with locals such as Everett Maguire to acquire Simon
Meadow in Temescal Gateway Park, won the Rotary Business Award. Photo: Shelby Pascoe
Pfannkucke’s employment, credits her with
the creation of Simon Meadow in Temescal
Canyon; expanding the Y’s reach into the
community (continuing the Palisades High
community service program); and guiding
the Y through tough economic years in
2009 and 2010.
“She truly believed in and cared about
creating a Y with a mission to serve needs
It is often challenging to take action
when thinking about a change of resi -
dence or a change of area in which to live.
Clarifying your underlying reasons for
desiring a particular change or outcome
not only by exploring your options, but
why you are considering them can be useful.
You can begin to get down to what really
matters to you and why it is important.
Seniors have more options now than
ever before, from purchasing a smaller
home or investing in a condominium
which provides property management in
your local area to a complete change of
scenery. There are independent living communities
where seniors can maintain their
independence. Assisted living facilities are
similar to independent living communities
but provide personal care to their residents.
You may feel there are roadblocks or various
reasons that a particular course of action
might not or cannot work out well.
If you are open to thinking about the reasons
you feel that way, you may find that
the feasibility of an alternative becomes
apparent to you.
Your initial thought or another person’s
well-meaning suggestion may only have
focused on or addressed the surface issue
without considering alternative ways to
address the deeper concerns.
For example, you may feel that the size
of your current home has become more
and more difficult to maintain physically.
You are considering the alternative of
downsizing to a smaller place as a result.
Rather than moving, would the hiring of
more help, if financially feasible, be more
conducive to resolving your need if what
that were both unmet and would be valuable
to the community,” Lowe said.
When Pfannkuche arrived at the Y facility
on Via de la Paz, the exercise equipment
was mismatched and not of professional
grade. State-of-the-art equipment is now
leased and renewed on a regular basis.
Six weeks after she came aboard, the
Coastal Commission approved the Y’s right
Considering Alternatives for Seniors
is most important is remaining in your
current home?
If financial concerns are the most important,
are there other solutions than moving?
Could you liquidate some of your other assets
and use the funds to cover the costs of
staying in place and hiring additional help
as needed?
Should moving become the clear option
that will satisfy your needs, you will benefit
from a real estate agent to help you sell your
home and help you through a sometimes
difficult life transition.
Exploring the pluses and minuses of a
variety of actions can lead to a decision that
takes into account your true underlying
motivation and reasons for life changes in
the later years. This can lead to a better and
more fulfilling path in your future.
Michael Edlen has counseled approximately
1,000 seniors over the past 30 years.
Call (310) 230-7373 or e-mail
michael@michaeledlen.com
to exercise its option on a four-acre parcel in
Temescal Canyon, at the entrance off Sunset.
The News asked her about the Temescal
pool, which closed during her watch. “The
facility was 50 years old and the pipe structure
needed to be replaced. We were willing
to raise the money to do it, but our contract
[with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy]
only allowed for routine repairs
and maintenance. We asked if we could do
the repairs, but we were declined.”
Pfannkuche said there are other challeng -
es with her new position. “The Ketch -
um-Downtown YMCA is different from the
Palisades-Malibu YMCA in many ways: it
is larger in facility size and the population
it serves,” she said. “It is the most economically
diverse branch in L.A.; our membership
service area ranges from Bunker Hill
highrises to the impoverished Pico-Union
district. A large part of my work involves
mobilizing resources and creating community
partnerships to provide a safe haven for
youth and help to break the chain of pov -
erty for local families.”
She noted that the foundation for both
Y’s is the same: strengthening community
through youth development, healthy living
and social responsibility.
“Through my work at the Y, in the Pali -
sades and downtown, I have seen how
generosity enriches the lives of the givers,”
Pfannkuche said. “I hope more Palisadians
will get involved with community service
work by joining Rotary and the YMCA, or
through any nonprofit that fuels their family’s
passions.”
Pfannkuche has lived in Pacific Palisades
for 20 years with husband Tony, a management
consultant in the health field. The
couple has two children: Molly is working
on a graduate degree in clinical exercise
physiology at the University of Wisconsin
and Katie is majoring in psychology at Cal
Poly San Luis Obispo.
Blood Drive Set
For January 24
Dr. Mike Martini is organizing a community
blood drive, sponsored by Providence St.
John’s Health Center. The event will be held
from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, January 24,
at Corpus Christi School Hall, 890 Toyopa
Dr. For an appointment, call (310) 829-8886
or e-mail sherry.arroyo@providence.org.
Donors are reminded to eat a nutritious
meal beforehand, drink plenty of fluids and
bring a photo identification. Donors will
receive a coupon for a pint of Baskin-Robbins
ice cream.

Page 12 Palisades News January 20, 2016
Crayon Collection Partners with Denny’s
Crayon Collection, a nonprofit found -
ed by Sheila Michail Morovati, has
successfully collected crayons left
behind from diners at restaurant nationwide
and donated them to Title I impoverished
schools and Head Start preschools.
Two months ago, the organization partnered
with Denny’s restaurants in Los Angeles,
with the hope of partnering nationally
with the chain in 2016.
“Vulnerable children around the country
will have access to art supplies that otherwise
would have been thrown away,” said found -
er Morovati, a Brentwood resident. “We believe
that with the participation of Denny’s,
the Crayon Collection program will be
adopted in kid-friendly restaurants everywhere.
We appreciate the extra work that
Denny’s team members have taken on in
this socially and eco-responsible initiative.”
Ahmad Moalej, a Pacific Palisades resi -
dent and a Denny’s owner, said “Participating
in the Crayon Collection program has
been absolutely positive for everyone involved;
kids, schools and employees. We are
glad to be a part of this.”
Sixty-nine billion crayons are produced
each year globally, with more than 22 billion
thrown away annually. Crayon Collection’s
mission is to bridge a gap between plenitude
and scarcity in America.
Morovati sees that schools and restaurants
are paired up locally, so that crayons,
which have been used only once, are not
discarded but given to children who may
not be able to afford them. The charity also
helps to cut down on the $750 per year of
personal income the average teacher spends
supplying his/her classroom.
Crayon Collection relies on volunteers
and uses this process of repurposing cray -
ons as a relatable tool for teaching young
children the benefits of recycling, reusing
Free memory training classes for adults,
ages 50 and over will be held from noon
to 2 p.m. on four Mondays in February (1,
8, 22 and 29, with no class on President’s
Day February 15) at the Pacific Palisades
Woman’s Club, 901 Haverford Ave.
Developed by faculty at UCLA, this
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Crayon Collection founder Sheila Morovati with Denny’s manager Lina Camacho.
and reducing waste as well as having a philanthropic
experience.
“There are a million studies on why art
is beneficial to children,” board member
Jennifer Meyer said. “Art has been an integral
part of my children’s daily lives, and it
is amazing to witness their creative development.
I became involved with the Cray -
on Collection to help ensure that every
child is given the opportunity to express
themselves artistically.”
Crayon Collection is also the partner
charity for Penguin Random House’s bestselling
children’s book, The Day the Crayons
Free UCLA Memory Training
Classes Offered at Woman’s Club
memory class provides practical strategies
and exercises to help improve your longterm
memory and ability to recall information.
This four-week class is offered through
a grant from the LA Department of Aging
and is sponsored by the Jewish Family
Service Organization.
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BUSINESS
NOTES
Closed: Naturally, located in the Chase
Bank building at Sunset and La Cruz, closed
after 24 years of providing healthy food and
juices. The business, which has been sold,
received the Palisades Rotary Club’s annual
award as Outstanding Business in the Community
in 2010. Naturally started in July
1991, and Kevin and Fatene Darbahani took
over the store in July 1992. “We really enjoyed
working for that many years with such
nice and friendly customers,” Fatene said,
noting that their top seller was the tuna
salad, although the vegi wrap and falafel
were also top choices for the lunch crowd.
“The people who bought that cafe will make
changes, but we were told it will be same
with natural and healthy food,” Fatene said.
For Sale: Party Pizzazz, located at 15121
Sunset (across from Ralphs Grocery), is for
sale. Call (310) 454-2807 or (323) 934-7695.
The town’s only party supply store was
founded by Robin Myers in 1991 and has
been owned by Marlee Dressen since 1994.
Opened: Papillon Lounge and Spa has
opened at 15119 Sunset Blvd., next to Party
Pizzazz. Specializing in manicures and pedicures,
the salon is open Monday through Saturday
from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday
from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Contact: (310)
454-5361 or papillionloungespa@gmail.com.

January 20, 2016 Palisades News Page 13
Environmental Issues
Addressed by TCA
By BILL BRUNS
Palisades News Adviser
The Temescal Canyon Association,
an environmental watchdog group
since 1972, held its annual meeting
on December 1 in the historic dining hall
in Temescal Canyon Gateway Park.
This meeting marked a leadership transition
as Carol Leacock, the TCA’s indefatigable
president since 1991, relinquished her
role to businessman Gil Dembo. She will
continue to lead the group’s public hikes in
the Santa Monica Mountains and within
Pacific Palisades (monthly during the winter,
weekly in the summer).
In addition to Dembo, board members in -
clude Leacock (vice president), Susan Oren -
stein (secretary), Patti Post (treasurer), Ted
Mackie (membership and maps), Ron Webster
(Sierra Club liaison), Maria Bane, Rich -
ard Cohen, Barbara Dembo, Shirley Hagg -
strom, Ethel Haydon, Jim Kenney, Brenda
Theveny, Norma Spak and Roger Woods.
Looking back on 2015, Dembo noted
that “TCA members spent hundreds of
hours working to improve Los Leones Can -
yon Park and over $2,500 to improve the
streambed and align the rockwork. We are
also in contact with the City of Los Angeles
to [build] a shunt in Los Leones to bring
water to the stream.”
He continued, “Over 50 years ago, the
community spoke about making Potrero
Canyon into a 40-acre park. Well, we can see
the light on this $50-million project. In 2018,
the park could be open, but with limited
access [mostly from the Palisades Recreation
Center and down at PCH]. TCA is working
with the city to improve the access with a
gate on the west end of Potrero Canyon and
a bridge over Pacific Coast Highway. There
are 1,441 parking spaces waiting to be used
on the beach side of the highway.”
In the mid-1970s, TCA was instrumental
in creating a plan for what is now Topanga
State Park. This 11,525-acre recreation area,
Dembo noted, “has turned out to be one of
the most important assets in the region and
TCA will continue to help preserve it from
a variety of threats.”
“We helped stop a cross-mountain road
in the ‘70s [the Reseda-to-the-Sea highway
through the Palisades] and we are now faced
with a double threat from the Department
of Water and Power, which would like to
put up new pylons from the Valley to the
ocean for a grounding cable, and they
would like to build an electrical substation
in Los Leones Canyon on state parkland.”
Temescal Canyon Association members Maria Bane, Norma Spak, Shirley Haggstrom and
Carol Leacock participated in a Los Leones field clean-up day December 10. Photo: Kelly Comras
[The latter proposal has been rejected by
State Parks, and the DWP has subsequently
unveiled a new power distribution plan for
the west Palisades area.]
After Dembo’s talk, TCA photographer
Jim Kenney praised the work of fellow club
member Ron Webster, noting that he “has
been aligning, building and maintaining
trails in the Santa Monica Mountains” since
1978. This includes the 65-mile Backbone
Trail, which begins/ends at Will Rogers
State Historic Park.
The National Parks Service “will have a
celebration of the completion of the Backbone
Trail in mid-2016,” Kenney said, adding
that the BBT “will be designated a national
trail, which is an important honor.”
The evening included two guest speakers:
Stephen Bylin, Topanga Sector superintendent
for State Parks, and Bo Savage, deputy
director of operations for the L.A. Conservation
Corps, which “provides at-risk young
adults and school-aged youth with opportunities
for success through job skills training,
education and work experience with
an emphasis on conservation and service
projects that benefit the community.”
Dembo noted that the TCA has provided
scholarship support to the Conservation
Corps for many years, and LACC
crews have completed various projects
and trail improvements in and around
Temescal Canyon.
“The LACC helps the environment and
trains a lot of young people to become better
people,” Dembo said. Visit: www.lacorps.org.
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Page 14 Palisades News January 20, 2016
Monsignor John Mihan, 83,
Former Corpus Christi Pastor
Monsignor John Mihan, who was
born on June 20, 1932 in Los Angeles,
passed away on December
26. He was the pastor at Corpus Christi
Church for 12 years prior to his retirement
in 2000.
The son of Arnold and Virginia
(O’Reilly) Mihan, he found his calling to
be a priest while attending St. Brendan’s
School and being an altar boy to Cardinal
McIntyre.
He attended St. John’s Seminary and was
ordained April 30, 1959. Following his ordination,
he attended Catholic University
in Washington, D.C., where he received a
Ph.D. in education.
Mihan returned to L.A. and became the
assistant superintendent of archdiocesan
schools. Five years later he was appointed
superintendent of elementary schools for
the archdiocese which he would head
until 1986.
He was an educational leader, administrator,
visionary and molder of one of the
largest Catholic school systems in the Unit -
ed States. He was a mentor and motivator
of all the schools and to those who worked
there. During this time he also earned his
master’s degree in business administration
from UCLA.
NOTICE TO READERS
Monsignor John Mihan
In 1974, at the age of 41, Father Mihan
was elevated to Chaplain and in 1978 he was
elevated to a Prelate of Honor.
In 1987, Monsignor Mihan took a year
and a half sabbatical to Rome. Upon his
return he became the pastor at Corpus
Christi Church.
Jack, as he was known by family and
friends, enjoyed photography, hiking in the
Rainfall Accumulation
With rain predicted through this week, it might mean El Niño has finally
arrived in Southern California.
Rain
The
on
Palisades
January 5
News
and 6 brought
welcomes
2.8 inches
submissions
of rain to
of
Pacific
obituary
Palisades
notices
as
measured
for Palisadians,
by the official
past
Los
and
Angeles
present.
County
Notices
rain gauge,
must
located
be
at
400
Carol
words
Leacock’s
or
home less. A on photo Bienveneda. may be sent for possible inclusion. There is no charge
for Deputy the notice, assistant nor rainmeister the photo. Ted Mackie For questions, reports that or the to current submit, rainfall please year
to e-mail date since editor@palisadesnews.com. July is 5.53 inches. The normal The year desired to date is deadline 5.10 inches. for submissions
The most is rain Thursday recorded in before Pacific Palisades the intended (in the years publication from 1942 to date 2015) (the was
42.60 first inches and third in 1997-98. Wednesday The least of recorded the month). rainfall was 4.11 inches in 2006-07.
PASSINGS
national parks, road biking and telling his
famously corny, but always funny, jokes.
His niece, Kathleen Macker, tells the
story of how this priest of “simple tastes”
also enjoyed fast bicycles and motorcycles.
He “secretly” rode a motorcycle, which he
kept at his niece’s home for many years.
“He didn’t want the parishioners to know
because he thought it would be a bad example
to see the pastor riding around on
this big motorcycle,” Macker said, adding
that her uncle had been hit by a car in the
1970s while riding his bike near Playa del
Rey and had spent several months recuperating
at his mom’s house.
“I don’t know how he ever survived, he
practically broke most of the bones in his
body,” Macker said. “We said he had many
lives. We don’t know how he kept on coming
back, he was sort of like a cat.” She also
told the story of how her uncle rescued the
mother cat and kittens he discovered under
the rectory at Corpus Christi. “He hand-fed
them and adopted them, naming one of
them ‘Mommy’ and the other ‘Clare’ after
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FOR DYNAMIC REPRESENTATION, CALL JOAN!
NOTICE TO READERS
The Palisades News welcomes
submissions of obituary notices for
Palisadians, past and present. Notices
must be 400 words or less. A
photo may be sent for possible inclusion.
There is no charge for the
notice, nor the photo. For questions,
or to submit, please e-mail
editor@palisades news.com. The
desired deadline for submissions is
Thursday before the intended publication
date (the first and third
Wednesday of the month).
his wild Aunt Clare. He just adored these
cats; they were like his children.”
He was predeceased by his only brother,
Dr. Richard Mihan, and is survived by his
only sister, Nancy M. Kelsey. He also leaves
behind a niece, nephews and many greatnephews
and nieces. Family and friends
celebrate Jack’s learned and humble life,
and will miss him.
A funeral mass was held at St. Brendan’s
Church on January 13.
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January 20, 2016 Palisades News Page 15
St. Matthew’s Presents Chatham Baroque
St. Matthew’s Music Guild will continue
its 31st season of concerts with a performance
by Chatham Baroque at 8
p.m. on Friday, January 22, at St. Matthew’s
Church, 1031 Bienveneda.
Founded in 1990, Chatham Baroque is
a trio of baroque violin, viola da gamba,
theorbo and baroque guitar that tours nationally
and internationally, and has re -
corded 10 critically acclaimed CDs.
The ensemble offers audiences the opportunity
to hear baroque music with a freshness
akin to improvisational jazz, with lively
Jacaranda Presents
Classical Concert
Jacaranda, which features concerts
of new and rarely heard classical mu -
sic, will present “Expectancy: Music of
Thomas Ades, Gerald Barry and Peter
Maxwell Davies” at 8 p.m. on Saturday,
January 30, at the First Presbyterian
Church, 1220 Second St., Santa Monica.
Founded in 2003 by arts impresario
Patrick Scott and conductor/organist
Mark Alan Hilt, Jacaranda produces a
series that features current and rising
stars in the world of classical music
performance.
Tickets are $45 and $20 for students.
Call (213) 483-0216 or visit:
jacaranda music.org.
interpretations of 17th-and 18th-century
music played on instruments of the period.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote, “Pound
for pound, you aren’t going to find a better
ensemble . . . than Chatham Ba roque.” The
trio is repeatedly listed among the newspaper’s
“Top 50 Cultural Forces in Pittsburgh”
and “Ten Best Classical Concerts.”
Andrew Fouts, who plays the baroque
violin, joined Chatham Baroque in 2008.
In performance with the ensemble he has
been noted for his “mellifluous sound and
sensitive style” (Washington Post) and as
“an extraordinary violinist” who exhibits
“phenomenal control” (Bloomington Herald-Times).
Patricia Halverson, who plays viola de
gamba, holds a doctorate in early music
performance practice from Stanford. After
completing her graduate work, she studied
in the Netherlands at the Royal Conservatory
in The Hague. A native of Duluth,
Minnesota, Halverson is a founding member
of Chatham Baroque and has performed
recently with Ensemble VIII of
Austin, the Washington Bach Consort, The
Rose Ensemble of St. Paul and the Pittsburgh
Symphony Orchestra.
Scott Pauley, on theorbo and Spanish
guitar, also has a doctorate in early music
performance from Stanford. Before settling
in Pittsburgh in 1996 to join Chatham
Baroque, he lived in London for five years,
where he studied with Nigel North at the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
He has performed with Tempesta di
Andrew Fouts, Patricia Halverson and Scott Pauley comprise Chatham Baroque, which
will perform on January 22 at St. Matthew’s Church.
Mare, Musica Angelica, Opera Lafayette,
The Folger Consort, The Four Nations Ensemble,
The Toronto Consort, and Hesperus
and has soloed with the Atlanta
Symphony Orchestra.
The music for the concert comes from
three countries—Spain, Italy and France.
The most common contrast of Baroque
styles was between Italy and France. The
Italians were known for their extroverted
style and the development of virtuosic and
flashy music, while the French were known
for their slightly more subdued but highly
elegant music, with notes inégales (uneven
or “swung” rhythms), as well as important
dance styles.
The Spanish developed a unique style
that was outside the more mainstream Italian
and French practices. The style that
was simple on the surface, but also rhythmically
complex and full of hauntingly
beautiful melodies.
Admission at the door is $35. The Music
Guild offers discounted season passes, good
for all concerts, for as little as $200. Visit MusicGuildOnline.org
or call (310) 573-7421.
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Palisades News
Page 16 January 20, 2016
Max Impact Aids Youth Who Are Bullied
By LAUREL BUSBY
Staff Writer
James Gavsie knows bullying. He has
experienced it, overcome it and found
ways to teach kids how to do the same.
Gavsie, who owns Max Impact Martial
Arts at 16632 1 ⁄2 Marquez Ave., came by his
expertise through difficult childhood experiences.
At the time, adult advice didn’t
provide much help, and he eventually developed
his own strategies for handling
bullying behavior—both as a child and
through his experience with martial arts.
“You have to be able to stand up for
yourself and tap into this whole emotional
skill set to get to where you’re not being
bullied any more,” Gavsie said. However,
“We’re not born with that emotional maturity.
So I say, ‘Okay, how do we establish
that emotional skillset within the child
while also taking very meaningful steps to
stop the bullying in its tracks?’”
Gavsie’s life experience helps him work
with families as they tackle the complexities
of bullying. His techniques range from
building up a child’s self-esteem through
martial arts and other activities to advising
parents what to say to a teacher and principal.
He also recommends working with
bullies directly so they can learn the impact
of their behavior, while also teaching
bystanders to stand up for what is right.
“The reality is that bullying is going to
Rex Gavsie kicking a body opponent bag.
Max Impact Martial Arts students warm up in preparation for another class.
happen to your child one way or another,”
Gavsie said. “They may be bullied, they may
witness it, or they are going to be the bully
themselves. They will be affected one way
or another. Realizing that this is what’s
going to happen, a parent can establish
things in a child right away.”
He has found that many parents naturally
Photo: Bart Bartholomew
turn to his academy for help when a child
suffers from bullying. In his own life, part
of building up his self-esteem came from
learning martial arts, which eventually led
to his dream achievement of opening his
private martial arts academy in 2004.
As a child, Gavsie was overweight and
passive—a combination that caused him
difficulty growing up in Ottawa, Canada.
“I was a big, very overweight kid. I was like
a gentle giant. Older kids would target me. I
didn’t like fighting, so I wouldn’t fight back.”
Even as a kid, though, he started to learn
some tricks that inform his advice today.
Ignoring bullies or attempts to diffuse the
situation with humor never worked for
him. However, on his anti-bullying website
(renegadeguides.com), he describes a
childhood encounter with a bully in
which a friend of his older brother successfully
came to his aid. He realized then
that having a protector—a bigger shark—
could help him, and with local kids who
are encountering a bully, he recommends
finding an older, popular student to align
with the child. This older kid not only
provides protection, but raises the bullied
kid up in the school’s social hierarchy.
Gavsie parallels a bullied kid’s need for
help with an adult occasionally needing the
police for aid when a situation is too big for
them to handle alone.
He also advocates strengthening the selfesteem
of kids, so that bullies can’t get a reaction
from them. “If a bully targets person
A and person B, and in response, person A
is crying and person B is not bothered: Are
both acts bullying? No, because person B
didn’t give up his power.” The idea is to give
kids “a bulletproof vest to bullying.”
For parents, Gavsie suggests offering a
bit of bribery at times to help their kids develop
new skills. For example, he advised
one parent to promise his shy son a piece
of computer equipment if he would go up
to five kids on a new baseball team and find
out five interesting facts about these kids.
When he succeeded, the kid knew five
kids on the team and felt comfortable playing
baseball. “It took away a lot of the shyness
that he originally had,” Gavsie said.
He also advises parents not to step back
if a kid is being bullied, but instead to become
proactive. “I really advocate parents
(Continued on Page 17)
James Gavsie
Photo: Bart Bartholomew

January 20, 2016 Palisades News Page 17
Max Impact
(Continued from Page 16)
taking control instead of leaving it in the
hands of the teacher,” Gavsie said.
He recommends writing a polite and respectful
email to both the teacher and the
principal “that there’s a problem and you
will be part of the solution with them.” A
principal is required to address bullying issues,
so it’s important to include them in
the email and also explain the situation
while asking for a timeline, details on what
exactly will be done to handle the problem,
and for accountability in making sure the
plan is followed and successful.
Gavsie, who was a software programmer
in Atlanta before leaving that field to pursue
his dream of opening a martial arts academy,
said that schools need parents to work
on the problem too, and it’s not reasonable
to expect a school to handle bullying solo.
“School provides amazing value for what
it offers,” said Gavsie, who has three children,
Rex, 9, Jade, 5, and Roman, 5, with
his wife, Roxanne Davis. School “provides
an education and a social outlet for kids,
but it’s not designed for anti-bullying. I’m
amazed schools are as effective as they are.
Parents have to be directly involved.”
Common types of bullying include social
bullying, cyber bullying and bullying through
exclusion, but perhaps the most common
type is unintentional bullying, which can be
part of other types of bullying, Gavsie said.
Mixed martial arts training is also a hit
with girls.
Photo: Bart Bartholomew
In this scenario, a kid or adult may think
that they are lightly teasing someone else
when the teased person perceives the teasing
as a severe emotional attack. In this type
of occurrence, part of the solution involves
educating the unintentional bully about
how his or her words or physical actions are
being perceived, so a change can be made.
In addition, he recommends making certain
that parents keep an open relationship
with their children, so basic trust and good
communication are there. When working
with a child, Gavsie takes time to share his
This youngster enjoys his training session.
Photo: Bart Bartholomew
own experiences with being bullied, so the
kids will feel comfortable opening up about
what happened to them.
He lets kids know, “I’m on your side now.
We’re going to handle this,” Gavsie said. The
kids share their hurts and feel cared for by
a person they admire. Eventually, “they feel
higher self-esteem, and are able to stand up
for themselves.”
The experience of helping these kids has
also helped Gavsie. “Life is fantastic. To be
able to help people with their bullying
problems is a dream come true.
English Beat to
Play at Riviera
Spectators at the Northern Trust Open,
February 17-21 at the Riviera Country Club,
will have a chance to hear The English Beat
as the headlining act for the after-play concert
at the course on Saturday, February 20.
The show, presented by johnnie-O, will
be complimentary for Saturday ticket holders,
as part of the #MoreThanGolf perks
at the #NTOpen 2016.
Fans can also buy specially priced Concert
Flex Green Room Tickets for $169.
This includes a ticket to The Green Room
at the Riveria for Saturday, when The
English Beat is performing, and one other
day of the fan’s choice.
The Green Room is perched between the
10th hole and the practice area, offering
great views of the golf action. Food and
beverages will be available for purchase
For tickets, visit northerntrustopen.com
J.J. Abrams: Soccer Ref
J.J. Abrams’ children were registered to
play AYSO in Region 69. All must volunteer.
To support his kids Abrams took referee
training and in an interview with
Sam Rubin, who coached an AYSO team,
shared his experience on the field. Go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9gf
G7SKwnQ&feature=youtu.be.
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Page 18 Palisades News January 20, 2016
Cummins Fights for Education Equality
By LIBBY MOTIKA
Palisades News Contributor
These days Paul Cummins could be
called the “start-up” pioneer, if you
consider all the schools he’s guided
into existence. He founded or co-founded
Crossroads School, New Roads School,
Camino Nuevo Charter Academy and New
Village Girls Academy, among others.
But Cummins’ insight and expertise in
school development didn’t just pop up
while sitting around in a dorm room: rather,
his inspirations and educational concepts
were born from trial and error and classroom
experience.
In Confessions of a Headmaster, Cummins
circles around from his current status
as president of the Coalition for Engaged
Education, an organization committed to
creating opportunities for equitable access
to a high-quality education, back to his
own educational beginnings as a prequel
to his 22 years as founding headmaster of
Crossroads School.
The Santa Monica Canyon resident has
spent most of his life in California, with a
stint at Harvard University for graduate
studies. But his rootedness in Los Angeles
has been important in calling attention to
the disparity between the have and havenots
in educational opportunity—a theme
Paul Cummins at home with his canine pal Mojoe.
that has motivated his work over the last
decade.
Cummins’ childhood was privileged: he
grew up in Brentwood, attended Harvard
School (which was a military school in the
1950s) and graduated from Stanford. But,
he admits, his forte was more sports than
academics, until his first week at college.
There, he encountered a fellow student who
Photo courtesy Paul Cummins
opened his world to literature and the explosion
of ideas that come from books.
“I went into teaching because I loved literature
and I wanted to figure out how I
could communicate that love to students,”
says Cummins, who spent his early years in
teaching at a boys’ school in the East, his
alma mater Harvard School, and later at
Oakwood School in North Hollywood.
In reminiscing about his formative years,
Cummins comes back time and again to
the value of allowing the teacher to be free
to teach, to engage with the students. At
Harvard School, where he taught from
1961-1965, he learned quickly about the
power of outside pressures when he came
under fire from parents who were members
of the John Birch Society or influential
board members, who dismissed all
hints of progressive ideas.
Leaving Harvard, Cummins found a decidedly
different atmosphere at Oakwood,
which was generally more progressive, New
Age and co-educational, where the students
called their teachers by their first names.
But, while he was on track to become headmaster,
politics intervened again: the headmaster
was fired, which put doubts in
Cummins’ mind about his own tenure. At
the same time, other opportunities opened
up, one of which led to becoming headmaster
at St. Augustine-by-the-Sea Episcopal
Elementary School in Santa Monica.
Ideas about extending the grade level at
St. Augustine’s logically led Cummins to
thoughts of opening his own school.
Half of Confessions of a Headmaster is
rightfully devoted to Crossroads School,
where Cummins was able to create the
kind of school that incorporated some of
(Continued on Page 18)
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January 20, 2016 Palisades News Page 19
Cummins
Paul Cummins and wife Mary Ann have long had a passion for education.
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tent, but most foundations are not going to
give you the 10-year grant,” he says. “They’ll
give you two years and then you have to go
back and ask again.” With the Coalition for
Engaged Education’s (formerly called New
Visions) operating budget of $2 million,
Cummins typically asks for anywhere from
$5,000 to $100,000.
There is no question that funders are
more likely to come onboard if Paul Cummins’
name is attached. When Andy Bogen
came to Paul with an idea to start a school
for troubled girls, Cummins agreed to endorse
the project.
Bogen is a Palisadian with a great passion
for social justice. He serves on the board of
St. Anne’s, a residential treatment center for
teenage mothers and pregnant girls, where
a percentage of the New Village Girls Academy
live. Bogen agreed to do most of the
fundraising; Cummins promised New Visions’
commitment to write the curriculum
piece of the charter proposal, which was
in turn approved by LAUSD.
Cummins’ first charter collaboration,
Camino Nuevo Charter Academy, founded
in 2000 in the Westlake/MacArthur Park
area, offers a good example of the ingredients
that he asserts make a strong educational
experience.
“Imaginative curriculum, superlative
leadership and good management,” he rattles
off rapid-fire. “The curriculum includes
first-rate programs and environmental ed-
(Continued from Page 18)
his key educational principles.
Crossroads opened in the fall of 1971
with two “all-purpose” teachers and 32 seventh-
and eighth-grade students. An allencompassing
passion for Cummins, Crossroads
became a family engagement. His
daughters, Emily and Anna, graduated from
the high school and his wife, Mary Ann,
who has taught piano in Santa Monica
since the 1970s, founded the Elizabeth Man -
dell Music Institute at Crossroads and the
Aube Tzerko Piano Academy at New Roads.
The educational mission as promulgated in
the promotional piece incorporated the
bedrock of all the schools that Cummins
would eventually create and help to develop.
Cummins talks about the five “solids”—
English, history, science, math and physical
education—along with five other solids:
music, visual and special awareness, selfunderstanding,
awareness of oneself in the
community (community outreach) and
eventually environmental education.
Convinced of the equal importance of
all these windows of learning, Cummins
says: “If you do include these five other
solids and if you fund them appropriately,
you will almost invariably create a school
atmosphere that is successful and joyful.
Kids who are experiencing some success
and joy don’t drop out.”
Funding education is always the elephant
in the room, especially when incorporating
the five other solids. And while private
schools like Crossroads and Harvard-Westlake
are well funded, Cummins has tried
over the last 15 years to bring to low-income
kids the quality of education they
would get at a private school.
A master at fundraising, Cummins nevertheless
understands the ongoing need for
individual and foundation support. “We
have few funding sources that are consisucation
and all those kinds of things that
public schools typically can’t afford. We
write it into the program, including ‘Council,’
a program originated at Crossroads,
where students sit in a circle and have an
opportunity to talk about their lives in a
way that kids don’t generally get to do.”
Leadership is critical, as in all ventures in
life. “We found Ana Ponce, who has that
wonderful ability to juggle a whole lot of
balls in the air at the same time.”
Third, a lot of brand new schools don’t
manage their money very well. “We hired
an organization, ExED Education Management,
under the leadership of executive
director Anita Landecker, which handles
the kinds of things that a typical educator
doesn’t want to do or doesn’t do well—
insurance, payroll, facilities.”
ExED was founded by Palisades resident
Bill Siart, former chairman and CEO
at First Interstate Bank. The company has
managed the finances of seven of the New
Visions campuses.
You could say that the New Visions formula
is working. Cummins has a capable
staff, which allows him to do what he’s
good at—encouraging funders to believe
and support equitable education for the
underserved. Personally, Cummins now devotes
more time to his writing; he has a new
book under way (Engaged Education) and
is taking piano lessons.
“As I have passed the three-quarters-ofa-century
mark, I cannot help but sense
time’s winged chariot drawing near,” Cummins
writes, quoting from Andre Maxwell’s
“To His Coy Mistress.” “But since none of
us knows how much time we are to be allowed,
I can only deal with projects a day,
a week, a month at a time.”
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Palisades News
Page 20 January 20, 2016
Southern Africa: Majestic and Endangered
Story and Photos by PETER KREITLER
Palisades News Contributor
Celebrating 30 years of marriage, Katy and I
journeyed in September from the Cape of Good
Hope in South Africa to the Chobe River, Victoria
Falls, the Rift Valley and the vast plains of the Serengeti
in Tanzania. Our travels were exhilarating, even magical
at times, and yet also sobering as we saw first-hand
that all is not well in the “cradle of civilization.”
Words are inadequate to describe what we saw in
Southern Africa: the magnificent topography where rock
outcroppings and almost human-looking trees present
families of elephants, troops of baboons playing like
there is no tomorrow, identical zebras by the thousands,
and regal giraffes grazing far above all others. We saw
hippos lounging in the Chobe River and warthogs
running around in single file with their distinctive tails
marking the way for their young.
Serendipity enabled us to witness the annual migration
of the wildebeest across the Mara River and past the
hungry crocodiles. Ally Mtumbwa, our extraordinary
guide, estimated that 60,000 crossed in front of us in a
half-hour. Indeed, it was an extraordinary affirmation of
the splendor of an unspoiled part of nature and creation.
Living in treetop cabins or at the Serengeti Migration
The Maasai society is patriarchal in nature with elder men deciding most major matters
for each group.
Camp far from the civilized world, Katy and
I marveled at the sunsets, the peace and
quiet broken only by trumpeting elephants
or groaning hippos, and the constant
reminder of how spectacular an unspoiled
ecosystem can be.
Tanzania is a country that has dedicated
25 percent of its landmass for conservation,
yet tourists come to Botswana and Tanzania
in great numbers, and our ecological
footprint is being felt (though we can be
conscious travelers and minimize our impact).
Humankind dominates, even in the endless
plains of Africa, and poaching remains a
significant issue in nations like Zimbabwe,
where the dictatorship cares only about lining
its own pockets.
Foreign-backed helicopter hunters with
AK-47s claim the lives of elephants for the
ivory, which sells for $1,500 a kilo, and two
days after we left that country 27 elephants
were poisoned by cyanide, reason still
unknown.
In addition, “bush meat” consumption is
common, and goes unchecked, meaning an endless
open season on various animals. The Maasai are fabled
and fascinating, but their
cattle grazing compromises
the native grasses and
habitats, and their powerful
political lobby and money
prevent real change.
When someone is asked,
“Why go to Africa?,” the
answer is usually centered
on seeing the Big Five:
cheetah, elephant, lion,
rhino and Cape buffalo.
We saw all five, but came
away with mixed feelings.
Being in the presence of
each was humbling and
inspiring, yet we were
reminded that except for
the buffalo, they all face
This male kudu is a member of the antelope family. They can be
found in bachelor groups, but most likely are solitary. When males
face-off during the mating season, they lock horns to determine
which animal has the stronger pull. Sometimes two males are unable
to unlock their horns and then will die of starvation or dehydration.
significant long-term challenges.
The black rhino is extremely endangered, and each
of the remaining few hundred has a detail of rangers
protecting them. A fifth of the continent-wide population
of white rhinos has been killed for their horns
since 2007; that is 4,635 in South Africa alone.
A single pride of lions requires approximately 250
sq. km. to live sustainably. With habitat loss and human
intrusion, inbreeding is now common and the genetic
fabric is being compromised, resulting in weakened
immune systems and early death.
Cheetah males leave their mates and offspring only to
return one to two years later and breed with their own
cubs. Meanwhile, human intervention in the family life
of elephants, besides the violent poaching, is shrinking
their habitat. Elephants are now forced to ravage trees,
resulting in desolation of vast tracts of land.
Essentially, four of the Big Five are in danger, and if
the animals are gone the tourists will disappear and the
economy of nations struggling to survive will be gone
as well.
(Continued on Page 21)

January 20, 2016 Palisades News Page 21
Africa
(Continued from Page 20)
Governments that are stable are addressing the pros
and cons of tourism, but environmental progress is
slow in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe
and Tanzania, the five countries we visited.
Greed, and lack of respect for the animals of Africa,
and their own people, by dictators and despots may
hasten the collapse of many nations. Nature’s fury in the
form of climate change has also resulted in a severe twoyear
drought, compromising the habitat of all animals.
Hippos, often weighing upwards of 5,000 pounds,
defecate in the waters they give birth in. They spend 16
hours a day “hanging out” in those polluted waters, and
The elephant population is still in jeopardy because of ivory poaching.
with shrinking pools and river tributaries drying up,
the situation is getting worse. Water was endangered
wherever we went.
At the same time, we met and talked with women
and men within the tourist safari community, hoteliers
and individuals who are beginning to make changes
and lead by example.
Our passionate and well-informed guide in Tanzania,
Ally Mtumbwa, writes an environmental column for his
local newspaper and is beginning a school where young
girls are able to get an education while learning sports.
Namibians Peter and Denise on the popular
Zambezi Queen in Botswana are striving to make their
solar-powered houseboat more sustainable every year.
Rhodesian-born Melanie, whose family lost their farm
when Mugabe became president of Zimbabwe, is
dedicating her life to helping young
indigenous women get ahead.
These Africans we met clearly
love where they live and are
devoting themselves to making
their concerns heard. All are living
examples of people willing to
work hard to protect what they
love. The individuals we relied on
to teach us about their country
and culture want to preserve
their environment forever.
One lesson for all of us is to find
where we can make a difference
locally in the places we love while
not forgetting that that where
life began, all is not well, and is
being rocked all the way down to
the Cape of Good Hope. The
human family cannot let Africa
slip through our fingers.
Katy and Peter Kreitler celebrated their 30th anniversary
with a trip to Southern Africa.
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January 20, 2016 Palisades News Page 23
Hay Fever: A Manic Weekend in the Country
By LIBBY MOTIKA
Palisades News Contributor
Would Judith Bliss really enjoy her
old age in a pension in Italy with
cypresses in the garden or sit
back with a sleep cap and let things go on
all around her?
Not on your life. No, this splendid
chameleon spun from Noel Coward’s theatrical
skein is as electric as she has always
been. An actress of a certain age, recently
retired, Judith is the life force in her family
and the irresistible fulcrum of Coward’s
farce, Hay Fever, now on stage at Pierson
Playhouse through February 21.
Presented by Theatre Palisades, director
Michael Worden took up the challenge of
Coward’s words and inimitable characters,
and succeeded.
The proceedings, confined to the Bliss’
country house in Cookham, England, revolve
around the eccentricities of the family:
Judith; her husband David, a dabbling
novelist; and their grown-up children,
Simon and Sorel, who feel that they must
be “clever enough to change ourselves in
this slapdash family.”
Slapdash, indeed. Judith’s life on the stage
has bled through the family members, who
at the least provocation break out into their
stylized parts in histrionic vignettes. A sort
of Barrymore clan, the Blisses light up in
Cassandra Orrantia, Yvonne Robertson and Tyler Frost in Hay Fever.
the fantastic world of their theatrical tab -
leau. Otherwise, and most often, they bick -
er incessantly.
It’s a familiar set-up, a comedy of manners,
confined in tight quarters. Each member
of the family has invited a guest up for
the weekend, without informing the other.
Naturally, each invitation promises an
amor ous possibility.
Judith has invited her young admirer
Sandy Tyrell, who believes he is in for a romantic
tryst with an unattached beauty.
David (Phil Bartolf) is working on the last
Photo: Joy Daunis
chapter of his novel, The Sinful Woman, and
has invited the sweet ingénue Jackie Coryton
(Holly Sidell) to keep him company,
and perhaps provide fertile ground for research.
Not to be outdone, brother and sister
Simon and Sorel have each invited an
older lover, Myra Arundel (Anna Carlise)
and Richard Greatham (Mark Davidson)
respectively, each one anticipating having
the house, and their lover, to themselves.
Not in the cards. The weekend turns into
a jumble of miscues, feint seductions and
sensationally silly arguments, all nourished
by the witty, breakneck pace of Coward’s
dialogue.
The set, a country house with a view, in
fair weather, of the Thames, has been expertly
appointed by Sherman Wayne, who also coproduces
with Martha Hunter (whose Clara
provides intermittent visual pratfalls).
Lacking anything resembling a complicated
plot, Hay Fever flies or flops on the
actors who must speak Coward’s lines to
appear unaware of and superior to them.
The American cast conquers the British
consonants and vowels admirably.
Yvonne Robertson handles the witty
dialogue while embodying the harmlessly
delusional Judith in diaphanous dresses.
If sketched, Robertson would be rendered
in oblique lines, elliptical curves and dizzy
spirals. Her presence lights up the stage
and those around her.
Sweet in her self-centeredness, Judith,
forever the actress, thrives on an audience,
which makes this ensemble piece sparkle
and delight.
For anyone who has siblings, Sorel (Cassandra
Orrantia) and Simon’s (Tyler Frost)
juvenile sniping is only too familiar. Sandy
Tyrell (Przemek Jaremko), who plays the
American hunk, is terrific in his callow, Boy
Scout playfulness.
Hay Fever runs Fridays and Saturdays
at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at Pierson
Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon Rd. Call
(310) 454-1970 for tickets or visit theatrepalisades.org.
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Michelle King
(Continued from Page 1)
Hills, a coordinator for the math, science
and aerospace magnet in West chester, and
as both assistant principal and principal
at Hamilton High School in Chev iot
Hills, according to LAUSD director of
communications Shannon Haber.
King then moved into district administration,
including time as the chief administrator
of secondary instruction, a local
district superintendent, chief of staff to
then-superintendent Ramon Cortines, senior
deputy superintendent under former
superintendent John Deasy, and most recently
as Cortines’ chief deputy superintendent,
which was the second highest paid
position in the district. In addition, last
month King was named “Woman of the
Year” by the non-profit organization
Women On Target, an advocacy group
supporting leaders in Southern California’s
African-American community.
“As a veteran educator, instruction is Ms.
King’s strength,” Haber said. “She is com-
New LAUSD Superintendent Michelle
Brewster (at left) was a PaliHi cheerleader.
mitted to ensuring that all students have
access to the tools they need to prepare for
college and career opportunities. She has
led district-wide reforms to increase graduation
rates, particularly among traditionally
under-represented populations. She has
also been a champion of programs such as
Restorative Justice, aimed at keeping students
in school and improving citizenship.”
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January 20, 2016 Palisades News Page 25
Documentary Stars a Blacklisted Actress
By DEBBIE ALEXANDER
Palisades News Contributor
At 98 years young, accomplished
Hollywood actress and humanitarian
Marsha Hunt reflects upon her
incredible life in the award-winning documentary
Marsha Hunt’s Sweet Adversity: A
Life of Acting & Activism, lovingly directed
by Roger C. Memos.
Since winning the Best Documentary
Award at the Burbank International Film
Festival in September, Hunt, Memos and
Editor Katina Zinner have been on a whirlwind
of promotion and film festivals.
The American Cinematheque will honor
Hunt at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 31
at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood by
showing a double feature: Memos’ documentary,
then Marsha’s favorite film from
her career, a newly restored print of the 1944
war drama, None Shall Escape, co-starring
Alexander Knox as Nazi Wilhelm Grimm,
who alienates his fiancée (Hunt). The movie,
directed by André De Toth, opened at the
Egyptian in its original theatrical release.
When Memos, a former colleague of
mine at Entertainment Tonight, met Hunt
nearly a decade ago, he instinctively felt
compelled to bring her story to a new generation.
He spent nine years independently
assembling his film, nearly four of them
honing his material at Zinner’s Pacific Palisades
home. Her editing credits include
Elvis, Soldier’s Girl, Running with Arnold
and the documentary Climate Refugees, in
2010. (She learned her craft from her father,
Peter Zinner, who won an Oscar for
The Deer Hunter.)
“Katina found the little pieces of gold,”
Memos says, while Zinner adds, “I viewed
Roger’s assembly cut, and then asked him
for all of his footage to see what really we
had. From there, we found so many fabulous
moments.”
Periodically, Roger called me as he
whizzed past my house in the Riviera. “Deb,
we really need to have lunch, and I want to
show you how my movie is progressing.”
Unfortunately, we never connected, giv -
en our busy schedules, but over and over on
the phone I remember him telling me that
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Marsha Hunt is featured in the documentary Marsha Hunt’s Sweet Adversity: A Life
of Acting & Activism, directed by Roger C. Memos (right).
Hunt and her late husband, screenwriter
Robert Presnell, Jr., were unfairly blacklisted
in Hollywood for travelling to Washington,
D.C. with many other Hollywood
luminaries (including Humphrey Bogart,
Lauren Bacall, John Huston and Danny
Kaye) as members of the Committee for the
First Amendment in 1947. The group publically
objected to the House Un-American
Activities Commission.
Yet, slowly, many members dropped out
of the committee as the “Red Scare” grew.
Worse for Hunt, her name appeared in
the right-wing publication Red Channels in
1950, despite her never having any involvement
in the Communist Party.
Her cautionary tale resonates today in
our era of the War on Terror because at the
zenith of her Hollywood stardom, she found
herself unemployed for about six years, and
after that she was relegated to small roles in
films and TV shows.
“Marsha’s a very principled person,”
Memos explains. “She never refused to back
down on what she believed in.”
Her film career began when she was discovered
on a visit to Hollywood in 1935 at
the age of 17 and she quickly moved from
ingénue to leading lady. She made 54 films
in 17 years, including Born to the West with
John Wayne, The Human Comedy with
Andy Rooney and The Penalty with Lionel
Barrymore.
Last September, Memos invited me to
the world premiere of Marsha Hunt’s
Sweet Adversity at the Burbank festival.
My husband Scott and I saw Roger and
Marsha waltz down the red carpet as the
theater filled. Petite and beautiful, Hunt
was dressed in a pink pastel suit and appeared
much younger in person.
“She’s gracious and smart as a tack,” Zinner
told me. “We should all be so lucky at 98.”
As I watched, I marveled at Hunt’s second-act
reinvention after Hollywood’s door
slammed shut. Long before Audrey Hepburn,
or Angelina Jolie today, Hunt threw herself
into humanitarian work after she made a
trip around the world in 1955 and witnessed
the dire straits of so many people. She used
her celebrity status to raise awareness and
funds for the American Association for the
United Nations from 1956-83 and also ran
Poster for Marsha Hunt’s favorite film.
the UN gift store in Encino for many years.
In addition, she was chairman of the San
Fernando Valley Bellringers Mental Health
Campaign from 1950-60 and in 1983 found -
ed the SFV Mayor’s Fund for the Homeless.
Much to my surprise, retired Kehillat Israel
Rabbi Steve Carr Reuben appears in the
Memos documentary too. He met Hunt
when she was the honorary mayor of Sherman
Oaks from 1983 to 2001.
Hunt found time to publish a book in
1993, The Way We Wore: Fashions of the
1930s and ‘40s, and in 2008 she had her
final film role, at age 91.
More recently, Memos and Hunt, one of
the last surviving Hollywood performers
caught in the anti-Communist fervor of the
1950s blacklist, attended the Hollywood
premiere of Trumbo, which stars Bryan
Cranston as the blacklisted screenwriter.
As for that long-delayed lunch, Roger
and I finally got together to celebrate his
success, meeting across the street from the
Egyptian at Musso & Frank’s.
Tickets are available for the double feature
by visiting: americancinemathequecalendar.com
or fandango.com/egyptiantheatre_aaofx/theaterpage.
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Page 26 Palisades News January 20, 2016
DINING OUT
Sentimental Trip to Farmers Market
(Editor’s note: Palisades News restaurant
critic Grace Hiney is on break because she
underwent shoulder surgery in December.
Although everything went well and she’s
recuperating nicely, she isn’t allowed to use
one hand/arm, which means cutting her
food or writing a column is complicated.
We expect her back soon.)
By BOB VICKREY
Special to the Palisades News
Photos by Barry Stein
Maybe our moods were altered
somewhat by the cold, gray
December day we had chosen to visit the historic
Farmers Market on Fairfax Avenue, or perhaps it was
simply the memories of trips there in our younger days
that triggered a nostalgic feeling among us, as we walked
the aisles of one of the great Los Angeles institutions.
Our monthly lunch club get-together took on a
different tone than some of the earlier trips in the past
year. The conversation was more reflective that day as we
each shared stories about our early memories of time
spent in the old market that had always best symbolized
the cultural melting pot that is Los Angeles.
Arnie Wishnick grew up in Oak Park, Illinois, but as a
teenager, he visited his relatives in L.A. during summer
vacations, and was routinely taken to the Farmers
Market. He vividly remembers the printing shop that
would print the headline of your choice
on an official-looking newspaper. He
remembers choosing one that read:
“ARNIE INVADES L.A.!” After his
family eventually moved to Los Angeles,
his dad retired from the grocery business,
but after quickly becoming bored with
retirement, he took a job in the produce
section at the Market, and worked there
happily until he died in 1981.
Barry Stein is the only member of
our group who grew up in Los Angeles,
and is also the only one of us who still
makes frequent trips to the Market. As
a young boy, he remembers receiving
from his Uncle Carl each Christmas elegant hand-painted
toy soldiers that were bought at Kip’s Toyland (which is
still in business there today.)
On the way there, we made a command decision to
choose one eating establishment instead of fanning out
and foraging for lunch at our favorite food stands, thus
risking possibly never finding one another again. In
hindsight, it seemed like an inspired plan.
We chose the indoor/outdoor French restaurant
Monsieur Marcel, and immediately warmed to our
candid waiter Gonzalo, who told us about the soup du
jour, tomato basil, then added “It’s not bad.” Arnie
laughed and said, “With that ringing endorsement, I
think I’ll have the French onion soup.”
We all ended up ordering sandwiches, each of which
included generous portions of cheese—one might even
say overly-generous portions of cheese. I may have actually
made the prize selection this trip with my choice of the
“Croque Monsieur,” with Swiss cheese, bacon and apple,
plus apricot dressing, on a baguette. (I noticed the rest
of the guys staring at my plate, which I attempted to
shield from their view.)
Barry loves his Brussels sprouts, so once again he
ordered a side dish to share with the table—at least we
assumed he ordered with that intention. We agreed
that their version came in a close second to the dish at
the Chateau Marmont Hotel. (We vote on everything.)
As the lunch wound down, Barry roamed the Market
(Continued on Page 27)
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January 20, 2016 Palisades News Page 27
Farmers Market
(Continued from Page 26)
taking pictures, and Arnie set out on his search for the
perfect donut. That interlude gave Josh Greenfeld and
me a chance to reminisce about the world of publishing,
where both of us had spent much of our adult lives—
he as an author, I as a publisher’s representative, which
is secret code for salesman.
We remembered the great Sam Vaughn of Doubleday,
who was Josh’s first editor, known widely as one of the
true gentlemen in New York publishing circles. Of course,
I couldn’t mention anyone whom I’d met in publishing
that didn’t bring a broad smile to Josh’s face. We shared
stories about some of our favorite editors, including my
friends Corliss (Cork) Smith and Jonathan Galassi, and
one of Josh’s favorites, Richard Seaver. We realized that
this quartet of fine editors discovered, and published,
Josh Greenfeld reminisces at Paul Mazursky’s table.
some of the finest writers of the last half-century.
When Barry returned from his photo session, he led
us to the upstairs dining area that featured a black-andwhite
photo exhibit of Farmers Market visitors, including
the famous and not-so-famous. The subtle appeal of
the modest exhibit was the simple concept of offering
no identification of the subject in each picture. A famous
movie star was placed next to one of the many uniformed
workers at the market. There was acclaimed screenwriter
Buck Henry’s picture alongside a young man who
appeared to be a dishwasher at one of the food stands.
That understated exhibit revealed the real magic and
splendid history of the Farmer’s Market.
Barry then encouraged us to follow him to the outdoor
area, where he pointed out the customary table of Josh’s
former writing partner, the late Paul Mazursky, who had
held court there each day for many years. The two had
teamed up to write the script for the 1974 film, Harry
and Tonto, which earned them an Academy Award
nomination (and an Oscar for actor Art Carney).
A picture of Josh’s friend is now laminated onto the
center of the table with the inscription: “Paul Mazursky,
1930—2014, Director—Writer—Actor—Raconteur.”
Josh sat down slowly in Paul’s chair and smiled. He
said, “Okay, now is when the nostalgia begins.” He took
a deep breath and continued, “I first met Paul in summer
stock in 1953 . . .” and as his voice trailed off quickly, he
sat quietly studying his old friend’s image.
Josh and I agreed that nostalgia could often easily
lapse into melancholy, so it was safer entered into in
the company of good friends. But on this particular
day, as we concluded the first year of our lunch club,
this sentimental journey we had all taken together,
simply felt right—with no apologies offered.
Bob Vickrey is a longtime Palisadian. He writes for
several Southwestern newspapers including the Houston
Chronicle. He is a member of the Board of Contributors
for the Waco Tribune-Herald and is a regular contributor
for the Boryana Books website.
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